I have to wonder if I’m the only one who has resigned myself to accepting the eventuality of nuclear war. I think I’ve about reached the point that I don’t even worry about it. We already live far away from potential targets, so that alone alleviates much of the concern. I’ve got rolls of plastic sheeting for covering the garden areas and tape for sealing doors, windows, and vents. My husband and I have aged out of needing potassium iodide (KI) tablets for saturating the thyroid with non-radioactive iodine.
Last month I posted a review of and link for Cresson Kearny’s Maintaining Nutritional Adequacy During a Prolonged Food Crisis. Among the many topics of interest in there was Appendix E, which addressed making a potassium iodide solution to protect vulnerable people (the under-40 crowd) from radioactive iodine fallout. Kearny noted that when the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island occurred in April 1979 (remember that?), there were no 130-mg tablets of potassium iodide. Instead, 259,000 bottles of potassium iodide solution were rapidly produced and shipped to the area. (Authorities later determined that radioactive iodine discharge did not reach hazardous levels, so the potassium iodide was never distributed to the public.)
For those concerned about using potassium iodide, it was a common ingredient in expectorant cough medicines of the period (I have no idea whether this is still the case), and it has been used for years, in larger doses, to treat asthma and other lung conditions. Side effects are more likely when individuals take more than the recommended dose.
What really caught my attention, though, was the fact that if we became involved in a massive nuclear attack (and when it begins, I just don’t see the exchange as being “limited”), people may need to take KI for 80 days, or even longer. As Kearny noted:
Of the dangerous radioisotopes of iodine produced by a nuclear explosion, iodine-131 has the longest half-life. Since iodine-131 decays with a half-life of about 8 days, it takes 80 days for its activity to decay to only about 1/1000 of what its activity was 1 hour after the detonation producing radioisotopes of iodine. Therefore, an 80-day supply of stable iodine should prove adequate, even for use in a massive nuclear attack on the United States lasting several weeks, followed by continuing dangers from radioiodines lasting for 40 days or more after the last nuclear explosions. In the very unlikely event that nuclear attacks continued for several months, an 80-day supply would be inadequate.
These doses of stable iodine rarely would have adverse side effects if used for the full 80 days.
Hypothyroidism might occur in a very few individuals (12), but this condition usually reverses itself when the iodides are removed. A more serious complication is the possible formation of a goiter in the fetus of pregnant women who are taking high doses of iodides (300 mg per day or more) (13).
And then I got to wondering. If this is the case, why do I have so little? How could I have so grossly messed up here? So I went to checking my other sources, books here as well as online. Yes, they all recommend the potassium iodide tablets. And when they talk about a situation where the tablets would need to be used, they’re all talking about a single nuclear event. An accident. Like Chernobyl or Fukushima. A one-off where the protective tablets would only need to be taken for ten days at most. So that’s what most people prep for. An accident, not war.
I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t have an 80-day supply on hand for the younger generations. I don’t even have an 80-day supply for my one grandchild. Problematic.
When I originally purchased my KI tablets in the foil packets years ago, they were a bit on the expensive side. I only bought the minimum (I thought) for treating my younger family—none were married and there were no grandchildren. I don’t know whether KI tablets were sold on Amazon at the time. However, now they are, and they are much less expensive, down to 7 cents per tablet, so an 80-day supply for one person would run less than $6.
I just placed my order.
Links to related posts:
Maintaining Nutritional Adequacy during a Prolonged Food Crisis
Nuclear Events: Making a Potassium Iodide Liquid Mixture for Children
Eleven Substances That Prevent Radiation Uptake and Eliminate Radiation from the Body
Do You Really Need Potassium Iodide Tablets?
References:
https://www.foxnews.com/health/who-updates-list-medicines-governments-should-stockpile-case-nuclear-emergency
https://www.calverthealth.org/healththreats/healthhazards/pi_usage.htm
I've always wondered about the not taking past 40. The CDC says its because less risk of thyroid issues from radiation. I call BS, that seems like a story to save on how much KI they need to hand out, plus those people are closer to retirement so by the time it shows up they will be retired and not in the workforce
ReplyDeleteExile1981
this 60ish intends to take his dosage >> the CDCers type also recommend sending out the capable but more elderly to perform outside bunker tasking - I always took FED type advice to be more ageism than family/group practical or fair .....
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DeleteI have to acknowledge that Exile has made some points to ponder. I don't know that I would call suggestions that the older individuals perform outdoor tasks ageism. I would insist on doing those tasks to prevent my children or grandchildren who are at much greater risk from exposing themselves. I'd do it in a heartbeat even if it meant certain death. I'm approaching 60. I've got to die sometime, and my grandchildren need their parents far more than they need me.
DeleteIt's a cheap and simple prophylactic. The problem is a lot of ignorant people believe it's a panacea that will protect against radiation in general. In addition to having the necessary supplies having the required knowledge is even more important. And in the risk vs benefit equation it's a no brainer.
ReplyDeleteSo true on all counts.
DeleteActually, Jennifer you HAVE NOT AGED OUT of needing thyroid protection.
ReplyDeleteThe Thyroid gland is the Master Gland and until your dead you NEED its services.
The other posters seem to have explained the Gov.com reasons well enough.
Well, the argument most frequently made and which the reported experience with Chernobyl showed (assuming the reports were accurate) is that older individuals are at far less risk of developing thyroid cancer. Should we believe what the government says with regard to whether older adults need to take KI? All the sources indicate that for dealing with an accident (total exposure less than 500 Gy), older adults don't need it.
DeleteI do understand that the thyroid is important--my dear husband depends on Synthroid and has for many years. Do I believe that thyroid cancer develops more slowly as people age? Yes. Do I believe my risk is lessened due to my age? Yes. Is there the possibility that the government is lying about this particular issue? Yes. Is it possible that covid has been engineered to shed and alter the cells of people who never got the jab, and thus increase cancer, heart disease, and other sudden death rates? Do I believe that the government and TPTB want to kill the majority of us? Yes. Am I persuaded that the government is lying about older adults not needing to take KI? Not yet, but I am now pondering the possibility.
Hmmmmm . . . This is why I love your blog--it gets me thinking! All I have is a 10 day supply for both of my children. Heading to Amazon now.
ReplyDelete--Melanie
Well, that's what I hope for--that people will think and do their own research. And that's why I love writing this blog--because I learn so much as well.
DeleteIf you have no thyroid you are prescribed a substitute like Synthroid. With no thyroid you won't need to worry about thyroid cancer which is the only thing Potassium Iodide protects against. The problems starts when you run out of your prescribed medication. Same problem diabetics and others with chronic serious health problems will face.
ReplyDeleteJennifer, perhaps you have trained your younger replacement in all and sundry of your knowledge of medicine and herbs.
ReplyDeleteThe I'm 60's and want to protect my grandkids so I'll do the dangerous outside stuff...
REALLY? Frankly there is LITTLE outside that cannot be done and Decontaminated properly and TAKING the PI and such.
It's CHEAP and Available. Helllllloooooo my friend.
No, no one is "trained." But they do know how to read and research. And that is why I blog and then compile everything into books.
DeleteI know I am valuable. But I am also older and physically unable to do as much and far less likely to develop cancer. "I" can take the KI. It is cheap and I have it. Not everybody does. Most people still have to make choices about how to allocate their prepping dollars. Yes, it would be better to eat rice and beans for a couple of months and even forego some meals altogether to purchase some of the prepping essentials. But like mentioned before, those people still have to work with spouses and other family members who may not yet perceive the need.
Makes sense. Good reply, thank you.
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